Although Drew Carey is a well-liked TV host and is known for his charm and quick wit, there is a tragic undertone to the humor.
Amie Harwick, his ex-fiance, was murdered, and her death still hangs over him.
Inside the horrific childhood of Drew Carey
Being a Hollywood star isn’t always as glamorous as it sounds since people are continuously watching your personal life. And the rumors only get more intense after you’ve experienced hardships in real life. However, TV personality and actor Drew Carey is one star who has taken charge of his own narrative.
Although it’s never easy to talk candidly about traumatic and challenging events, I hope Drew’s tragic journey will inspire others to talk about their own hardships. You don’t have to do it in front of others, but Drew has frequently used his position to support those who have experienced their own tragedies.
Many people might be unaware that Drew Carey, 66, had a difficult upbringing.
When Drew was just 8 years old, his father died of a heart attack, which naturally had a profound effect on the young child’s mental health. He had two expulsions due to subpar academic performance, so school wasn’t easy for him either.
However, his early childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, was marred by the untimely loss of his father.
He revealed, “I started biting my nails shortly after my dad passed away when I was a child.”
It grew so terrible that I was shredding the skin till it bled by biting my finger pads and cuticles. Even holding a pencil hurt, and I felt self-conscious about the appearance of my hands.
Attempts at suicide
Their mother, who had to work two jobs to support herself, reared Drew and his two brothers.
In 2010, Drew admitted to the Kirkland Reporter, “I have been in a lot of desperate situations.”
In addition, he disclosed that he had experienced molestation, battled depression, and attempted suicide twice by ingesting a lot of sleeping tablets.
Following graduation from college, Carey joined the USMC Reserve in 1980 and was assigned to the 25th Marine Regiment in Ohio for six years as a field radio operator. During his military service, he adopted his crew cut hairdo.
He subsequently talked about his attempts at suicide, stating that he made two attempts in his twenties and at the age of 18.
Carey acknowledged, “I had no idea what I was doing.” “I thought it would work the first time, so I took an entire bottle of Sominex and had a few beers. While I was vomiting, my friend Paul began humming the Sominex jingle, “Take Sominex tonight and sleep… sleep… sleep.” My fraternity brothers hurried me to the medical facility. At that time, I burst out laughing. My escape has always been humor.
Fortunately, Drew Carey made things better. With the aid of books and counseling, he started to rediscover himself. He discovered healthy ways to deal with his depression.
“After I began reading Wayne Dyer’s books, one of them really got to me: Why do I feel bad about everything? I became aware that I had been expressing regret for even being here.
The 2020 tragedy
Drew Carey has hosted the renowned game show The Price Is Right since 2007. His life appeared to be headed in the right direction for a while after he decided to reduce weight.
However, catastrophe hit with full force in 2020. That year, it was devastatingly revealed that Dr. Amie Harwick, Drew Carey’s ex-fiance, had been murdered.
When Drew and Amie announced their engagement in January 2018, they were more in love than ever and said that they had been together for six memorable months before deciding to get married.
Amie Harwick was a successful author at the time, having authored self-help books like The New Sex Bible for Women, and she was also a licensed marital and family therapist.
She graduated from Pepperdine University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Her website and Instagram highlighted her work as a well-known Hollywood star, educator, and women’s rights campaigner.
Regretfully, Drew and Amie’s romance ended really quickly after they first met. The couple split up after Carey called off their engagement in November 2018.
remained in love with one another
There was no doubting their intense love for one another even after their split. When Drew talked about their time together on his Sirius XM show, “Drew Carey’s Friday Night Freak-Out,” he actually broke down in tears.
Carey recounted in one broadcast that he and Amie had been in the “best relationship” of his life in September 2018. He acknowledged that their affection for one another persisted even after their split.
Amie was entertaining, gorgeous, and genuinely concerned about others, according to Drew, who enjoyed seeing her make a difference in other people’s lives.
He recalled with nostalgia how he used to email her the set lists for his Sirius XM program when they were together, and how she once became moved while listening to one of his compositions. Frequently, the two would play it repeatedly, dancing in the kitchen or even slow-dancing in the bathroom while singing along.
Drew revealed that they would listen to their personal tunes, which had great sentimental meaning for them, while holding hands in the car. To show his audience how much he and Amie had loved one another, he played the set list.
“A heart-stopping scream”
It’s easy to see how shocking Drew’s discovery of Amie’s murder must have been in light of everything mentioned above. Amie, 38, was discovered seriously hurt outside her Hollywood Hills residence on February 15, 2020.
Michael Herman, Amie Harwick’s roommate, described how he was startled out of sleep that morning by a “bloodcurdling scream.” He knew at once that Amie was being attacked upstairs.
The ex-boyfriend of Amie Harwick, who had beaten her inside her house, was the murderer.
Disturbing new reports surfaced three days later. It was discovered that Amie had “fallen” from a third-story balcony, and the Los Angeles County coroner’s office ruled her death a homicide.
The suspect had a bite mark on his bicep and a black eye, according to the police.
Judge Victor Avila told 48 Hours, “To us, it was indicative of Amie fighting for her life.” “But it’s clear that she faced a much more formidable foe.”
People claims that Harwick had already secured two restraining orders against the guy who is suspected of killing her, Gareth Pursehouse. Prior to starting her relationship with Drew, she had dated him for over ten years.
After his arrest, Pursehouse was first detained on a $2 million bond; he was arrested again a few hours after he posted bail. He entered a not guilty plea to his ex-girlfriend’s murder in April 2020. Gareth Pursehouse was later found guilty of killing Amie and given a life sentence without the chance of release.
Amie Harwick’s last hours
Drew Carey talked candidly in an interview with 48 Hours titled “The Final Hours of Amie Harwick” in February 2022, the second anniversary of the tragic death of Amie Harwick. Given the intense emotional toll of her loss, he revealed that he wasn’t sure he would ever be able to enjoy Valentine’s Day in the same way.
The TV personality said that he no longer wanted to commemorate the day, describing it as a reminder of suffering rather than love. He thought about Amie a lot and realized that their relationship had been really precious and intimate, a period when they could be who they really were with one another.
One of the most heartbreaking things Carey mentioned was that he had gotten a text from Amie three days prior to her untimely demise.
“Hey, it’s Amie,” she texted me out of the blue. I’ve been considering forgiveness a lot. I’d really like to meet up and chat. He recalled, “I told her I loved her and that I’d see her next week.”
Harwick was killed a few days later.
For a while, it broke me. Carey stated, “There was no closure.”
After reading that message, a friend subsequently told me that she started crying. She was still concerned. I still had feelings for her.
At the funeral, I ran into her pals.
Drew now acknowledges that he keeps a close eye on his mental health in order to prevent triggers. However, he still discusses Amie’s passing in public, most notably in an interview with US Weekly.
“Her death still affects me and shapes my views on relationships and intimacy,” he said, adding that he thinks about her “every day” and “all the time.”
“We wanted to tell you how much Amie loved you and cared for you and how well she spoke of you,” said Amie’s three closest friends after her death at the funeral. It really touched me. They are now among my closest pals. I also had the opportunity to get back in touch with her brother, father, and mother. We supported one another during the trial and funeral of Harwick’s ex-boyfriend, Gareth Pursehouse, who was found guilty of strangling her to death and hurling her from her home’s third-floor balcony. We are now sustained by Amie’s memory and the values she upheld,” Drew said.
It’s obvious that Drew has been profoundly impacted by this tragedy as well as everything else that has happened to him. I genuinely respect his courage for being so forthright about such intimate and agonizing events. His tale, in my opinion, has the potential to assist many people who are experiencing or have experienced comparable circumstances.
We believe you’re really great, Drew and Amie. Rest in peace! Your courage and candor motivate us all.
